Rancho Santa Fe resident Ken Weixel honored by United Way for community leadership and volunteerism

United Way of San Diego County has honored Kenneth H. Weixel, a Rancho Santa Fe resident, and Deborah Szekely for their consistently outstanding community leadership and volunteerism. They were recognized at a special reception at the nonprofit’s Murphy Canyon building on Nov. 2.

Laurie Coskey, United Way’s president and CEO, presided over the ceremony honoring the two and said, “We are thrilled to recognize the contributions of these two extraordinary individuals who have spent their lives and careers giving back to the community in such meaningful ways.”

The “Volunteer of the Year” Naish Award, given to RSF’s Ken Weixel, recognizes an individual who has made a significant and sustained contribution to United Way as a volunteer and commemorates the extraordinary commitment of Jack Naish, a former board member and creative leader.

Weixel has been a powerful advocate for United Way since joining the board in 2014. In his current role as United Way’s Campaign Cabinet chair, he helps build stronger relationships with companies across the region. In this, Weixel instituted a new “peer-to-peer” outreach technique, often reaching out to other managing partners and CEOs of large companies to engage them in giving to United Way directly. Weixel also chaired United Way’s CEO search committee this spring. As a member of the Tocqueville Society, he sets an example for others to invest in United Way’s critical work.

Weixel is the San Diego managing partner for Deloitte LLP and has been one of the leaders of Deloitte’s life sciences and health care industry practice. He started his career with Deloitte more than 35 years ago and focuses exclusively on providers, health plans and life science companies. Weixel has had many national leadership roles, including serving as the U.S. managing partner for audit and advisory services for the life sciences and health care industry groups.

He is a founding member of the board of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions based in Washington, D.C., and regularly makes presentations about the impact and implementation of health reform and the transformational change occurring in the health care industry. Weixel is a member of the Century Club, a board member of Biocom and served for eight years on the board of trustees of Capital University. He is also a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Business Leadership Development Program and the Wharton School of Executive Leadership Program.

Szekely is the recipient of the seventh annual James F. Mulvaney Community Leadership Award, given to a local leader who has demonstrated long-lasting, exceptional service to the San Diego community. The award is named for James (Jim) Mulvaney who maintained involvement in numerous nonprofit boards and organizations for 50 years.

For more information, visit www.uwsd.org.